House mail-receptacle



W. H. MARTIN.

HOUSE MAIL RECEPTACLE- APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 1, I920.

1,397,438, Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

" William HMarfln' YNT HOUSE MAIL-RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15,1921.

Application filed. September 1, 1920. Serial No. 407,522.

To all to 710m it may con cern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in House Mail-Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved receptacle for packages of mail and other like articles intended to be placed on the lawn in front of a residence or in some similar location.

It is an object of my invention to provide a deposit receptacle for large packages of merchandise in combination with a smaller receptacle for articles of greater value or which it is desirable to conceal, such as mail, the latter receptacle being locked.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a perspective of the receptacle in position, the door of the main compartment being open, and

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the same.

In the drawings the compartment as a i whole is indicated by reference character 1.

This compartment has a hinged cover 2 which is so formed as to exclude rain and is adapted to be readily lifted for placing packages of merchandise and the like in the main compartment, which has a side door 3 useful in removing articles such as may be more readily removed from the side than from the top of the receptacle. This door is hinged and is adapted to swing outwardly,

4 and when so opened exposes a secondary box or compartment 4: fixed to the door 3 and which is intended to hold letters and first class mail which may be deposited therein through the opening 5 at the front of the 4-5 box or, when door 8 is open, through a slot 12 in its top. The opening 5 is cut through the door 3 into the box 4 and isclosed by a hinged door 6. At the other or inner side of box 4 there is a door 7 which is also 5 mounted on hinges and is provided with a lock 8. This door may be opened by anyone provided with a key to fit the lock where upon mail or other matter deposited in the box may be removed. The large compartment does not require the use of a key "although a lock and key may be employed if fastened to underground anchors, having braces 11 to hold them in proper relative position. It is evident, however, that the legs may be omitted and the receptacle may be attached to a post or placed on a porch or otherwise located as may be convenient.

It is well known that a large part of the time of a mail carrier is taken up in waiting for persons to answer his whistle or ring and the same is true of the delivery of other parcels or articles of merchandise all of which wasted time may be saved by the use of my device. Newspapers and parcels are damaged by rain and wind when left in QX- posed position and this damage may also be avoided by the use of my device.

Having thus fully described my'said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

Adepositreceptacleforaccommodatingletters and packages comprising, a large compartment having a hinged cover to provide for receiving packages, a hinged signal thereon, a hinged side door therefor, a small compartment for receiving letters mounted upon the inner side of the door, said door having a slot affording means whereby letters may be deposited in the said small compartment when the door is closed, a hinged protecting cover for the slot, a hinged door on the inner side of said small compartment whereby the letters be removed when the aforementioned hinged side door is open,

a lock for the hinged door on the small compartment and posts on the receptacle for supporting it on the lawn.

.In witness whereof, I havehereunto set my hand and seal at Detroit, Michigan, this 30th day of August, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty.

' WILLIAM H. MARTIN. [n a] Witnesses:

C. A. YERGER,

W, F. Harmer. 

